Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken

taken from Prudence Pennywise

*Note from Prudy: If you don't want the finished shredded chicken mixture to be quite as "wet", slightly drain the tomatoes before using them. Also, I nearly always double or triple this recipe because it freezes so well.

*Serves 4
1 pound (about 2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14-ounce) can petite or regular diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you like extra heat - with this amount it is mild enough for my kids to eat it up but spicy enough to help offset the sweetness)


Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and mix the chicken with the juices from the tomato/brown sugar sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in flour tortillas or over tortilla chips with toppings of choice: lettuce, sour cream, cheese, avocados, etc.


* This is a great Freezer Meal: I freeze the leftovers and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving the next day. Reheat and serve. Easy!

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

adapted slightly from Kristyn Merkley...
Delicious!

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1½ cups shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided usage
1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided usage
19 ounces green chile enchilada sauce
½ cup sour cream
another ½ cup sour cream
8 corn tortillas
4½ ounces chopped green chiles

1. In a small bowl, combine chicken, 1 cup MJ cheese, 1 cup Cheddar cheese and green chiles.

2. In a small skillet, bring enchilada sauce to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in first ½ cup sour cream.

3. Dip each tortilla into heated sauce for a few seconds to soften. Do not dip for more than 4-5 seconds, or tortilla will fall apart.

4. Spoon ¼ cup of chicken mixture and 2 Tablespoons sour cream down center for each tortilla. (Best tip from Kristyn: put the sour cream in a sandwich bag and cut the bottom corner off, making it easier to squirt right down the center.)

5. Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down in baking dish. (I can fit 7 or so enchiladas - tightly - in one of those square aluminum pans from the grocery store, which is great to give away!)

6. Pour remaining heated enchilada cream sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup MJ cheese and ½ cup Cheddar cheese.

7. Bake 20 minutes at 350ºF. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Tikka Masala

adapted from two recipes (one from Pastor Ryan on PW's site, and one from a book).

Chicken:
1 cup Fagé yogurt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 pounds thawed chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

Combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Seal and knead together in bag. Marinate at least an hour; preferably overnight or all day. After marinating, removed chicken from bag. Grill or broil chicken until cooked through. Try to remove as much marinade as possible before cooking (feel free to give it a QUICK rinse if needed), in order to cook chicken evenly. No need to save marinade.

Sauce:
1 Tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup whipping cream

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala and salt. Add tomato sauce and cover skillet. Simmer 15 minutes, then add cream and simmer until sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Add cooked chicken to sauce; simmer an additional 5 minutes. Serve over rice (below).

Rice:
2 cups Basmati rice
4 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon turmeric
4 cups water
1-2 cups frozen peas

Add all ingredients except peas to a rice cooker, turn on and walk away (or go make your sauce!). When cooked, stir in your frozen peas and re-cover, allowing the hot rice to cook the peas.

Serve with naan bread, if accessible!

Pesto Chicken with Pasta

adapted from Campbell's

3 cups uncooked pasta (your choice - used shaped)
1 pound chicken breasts, cooked in a crockpot and shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup pesto sauce
1/2 cup milk

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Combine soup, pesto and milk in saucepot over medium heat. Bring to a boil.

Add chicken; combine until heated. Toss with pasta in large bowl.

Serves 4.

Caribbean Casserole

1 pound chicken, cooked in crockpot and shredded
1/2 cup bottled Caribbean jerk marinade
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon jerk seasoning (optional)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
7 corn tortillas, cut in wedges
2 cups shredded Jack cheese

Marinate shredded chicken in Caribbean marinade at least one hour.

Combine chicken and marinade with jerk seasoning, garlic and tomatoes; heat in large skillet until warmed through. Stir in corn, black beans and pineapple; cook 5 minutes or until thickened.

Coat 2 1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange 1/4 of the tortillas on the bottom, top with 1/4 of the chicken mixture and 1/4 of the cheese. Repeat 3 times, ending with cheese.

Cover and bake in a 375F oven for 20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.

Thai Chicken Fettuccine Salad

1 cup salsa
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 cups cooked fettuccine
2 cups cooked & shredded chicken
salad greens
chopped red pepper

Mix salsa, peanut butter, honey, orange juice, soy and ginger in skillet. Heat through.

Add fettuccine and chicken. Toss until evenly coated. Serve on salad greens, sprinkled with red pepper.

Serves 4.

Chicken Salad

the best!!

7 chicken breast halves, cooked in crockpot and shredded - not cubed
32 ounces mayonnaise
1 small bottle sweet pickles, chopped
1 small stalk celery
1 package dry Italian dressing mix
1 bunch red grapes, sliced

Combine all ingredients, using less mayonnaise than called for and adding more as needed to reach the desired consistency.

Serve on homemade rolls (try Cami's Rolls!) or croissants.

Grilled Chicken Salad

1 cup salsa
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
6 cups torn salad greens
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium oranges, peeled and sliced

Mix salsa, oil, lime juice and garlic. Set aside.

Sprinkle chicken with chili powder; brush with small amount of olive oil.

Grill chicken 15 minutes or until done, turning once. Slice chicken into strips.

Place salad greens on 4 plates. Top with chicken, beans and oranges. Drizzle salsa mixture over top.

Tortilla Soup

4-5 chicken breast halves, cooked in crockpot and shredded
2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cans black beans, not drained
2 cans diced tomatoes, not drained
2 small cans diced green chiles
2 cups frozen corn
4-6 cups chicken broth, depending on how soupy you like it

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, heat til boiling, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Top with your pick (shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, guacamole, etc.).

Broccoli and Pasta Salad

Adapted from Atlanta Cooknotes.

1 bunch broccoli
8 ounces ziti or rigatoni pasta
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, optional

Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Steam about ten minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Heat olive oil, butter, garlic and red pepper. Toss broccoli in the oil mixture, then pour over cooked and drained pasta. Toss mixture with tomatoes and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

* Can also add a few cooked, shredded chicken breasts to this if desired.

Mango Chicken Black Bean Salad

1 pound mango, cut into chunks
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
1-2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1/4 - 1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 packet Italian dressing mix, dry
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Serve with tortilla chips.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package (6 ounces) stuffing mix for chicken
½ cup water
1½ pounds chicken breasts, shredded
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place tomatoes with liquid in medium bowl. Add garlic and dry stuffing mix with ½ cup water; stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside. Place chicken in 9x13-inch baking dish; sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mix. Bake 30 minutes or until hot.

Serves 6.

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

I think this came from Campbell's a loooong time ago.

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3 cups shaped pasts
½ cup pesto
½ cup milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Cook pasta according to package directions. In large skillet, combine pesto, milk and soup - heat until boiling. Add pasta and chicken; stir to coat. Serve.

Toasted Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta Sandwiches

adapted slightly from Picky Palate

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed and pounded
pinch of salt
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 Roma tomatoes, diced
8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

8 thin slices fresh Mozzarella
4 ciabatta rolls (or similar)

Preheat a grill pan over medium heat (or use a panini maker). Spray with cooking spray.

Combine balsamic and olive oil in a bowl. Season both sides of chicken with pinches of salt and place on grill. Brush top sides of chicken with balsamic mixture. Cook for 4-5 minutes and flip chicken. Brush with additional balsamic mixture and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.

In a large bowl combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt and vinegar. Toss gently to combine. Set aside.

Preheat same grill pan over medium heat and spray with additional cooking spray. Place 2 slices of cheese on bottom rolls then layer with chicken breasts, spoonfuls of tomato mixture and 2 more slices of cheese. Place top rolls to close sandwich and grill both sides on grill pan (or just close in panini maker) until toasty and warm.

Serve warm.

Serves 4.

Chinese Takeout Lemon Chicken

altered from Kraft

½ Tablespoon oil
1 pound chicken breasts, cooked and cut into strips
2 cups snow peas, trimmed
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 large green pepper, cut into strips
4-serving size package lemon jell-o
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon Italian dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon grated ginger

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken, snow peas and peppers. Cook and stir two minutes.

Mix dry jell-o and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add broth, dressing, garlic and ginger; stir until jell-o is dissolved. Add to skillet; reduce heat to medium and cook three minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently.

Serve over hot cooked rice, if desired.

Serves 4.

Creamy Chicken Vegetable Wild Rice Soup

1 bag crinkle-cut carrots, frozen
3 cloves minced garlic (from that Costco jar)
2 cans chicken broth (or 28 ounces water + chicken bouillon)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup (yes, it’s necessary)
¾ cup milk
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 cup cooked wild rice (use Uncle Ben’s in the orange microwaveable bag)

Add all ingredients to a large pot over medium heat. Let cook until heated through and frozen carrots are tender. Add a handful of spinach at the end if desired. Serve with rolls.

Amazing Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package onion soup mix
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ cup cider vinegar
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup honey
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup oil
¼ cup minced onion
½ cup apricot or peach jam

Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours, or HIGH 4-5 hours.

To FREEZE:
Place all ingredients in a large Ziploc freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal bag and freeze. To cook, thaw (overnight or in a sink of hot water for about 5 minutes) and dump into crockpot, then cook as above.

Crockpot Taco Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small can diced green chiles
3 Tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours, or HIGH 4-5 hours. Shred chicken in pot.

Serve with tortillas or taco shells with assorted toppings (cheese, guacamole, sour cream, etc.)

To FREEZE:
Place all ingredients in a large Ziploc freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal bag and freeze. To cook, thaw (overnight or in a sink of hot water for about 5 minutes) and dump into crockpot, then cook as above.

Quebecois Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breats
½ cup maple syrup
3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon black pepper

Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours, or HIGH 4-5 hours.

To FREEZE:
Place all ingredients in a large Ziploc freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal bag and freeze. To cook, thaw (overnight or in a sink of hot water for about 5 minutes) and dump into crockpot, then cook as above.

Bombay Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup yellow mustard
¼ cup honey, melted
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
½ teaspoon chili sauce
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours, or HIGH 4-5 hours.

To FREEZE:
Place all ingredients in a large Ziploc freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal bag and freeze. To cook, thaw (overnight or in a sink of hot water for about 5 minutes) and dump into crockpot, then cook as above.